Age of Legends

The Magisterium

ince the dawn of creation there have always been god-fearers, and worship of Andunai has persisted throughout the ages, even where there has been no formal structure underlying their religion. Yet the universal, institutional expression of this religion, as embodied by the Magesterium, has been in existence no for nearly a Millennium.

Prior to the War of the Damned (circa 100-I; 1,005 A.S.) there had been no institutionalized forms of religion devoted to Andunai. In the midst of this war, Andunai sent his Ilad servants to the lands of the east to establish an order of clerics from amongst those who still feared him. He then empowered these clerics to turn back the tide of undead pouring into the Eastern lands. After the war had ended, this order became fractured by ideological differences, leading to the establishment of disparate national clergies. In time the national clergies were corrupted as the temptation of power caused many of its members to neglect their spiritual ministrations in order to pursue political ambitions. However when the western lands once more laid siege upon the East in the Demonspawn Wars (circa 880-I; 1,785 A.S.), most of the eastern nations were destroyed, and along with them, the national clergies. Yet a champion was born in Avenon, a Paladin pure of heart. This Paladin, Dwinovan, united the forces of the remaining eastern nations and led them to victory against the Demon Lords. After the war Dwinovan founded a new kingdom upon the the ashes of the former nations. From within this kingdom of Dwinovar, emerged a new religious order faithful to Anduani, known as the Magisterium. Due to the missionary efforts of this new order, many of the lands of the east submitted themselves to the spiritual authority of the Magisterium, thereby establishing a nearly universal, institutional form of worship.

The theology of the Magesterium is drawn from a cannon of literature known as the Tilindriad (literally “Book of Ten”) that is believed to be the divinely inspired revelation of Andunai. According to the creation myth of this canon, there is but one divine and everlasting being, through whom all other things have their being. Out of the overflow of His bountiful Soul, Andunai brought forth creation, bestowing on it manifold gifts that it might, to a lesser degree, reflect His majesty. The first of Andunai’s works were the Ilad, greatest of the Angelic host, followed by the Iunid. These were given charge over the world that was to come, and to each was appointed a ministry appropriate to their nature. Andunai then hung the stars in the sky, and fashioned the world of Eriond, clothing her with sea and the color of green. Upon her shores he brought forth the elder races, Wyrm, Giant and Fey, and within her deep places great scaled creatures were formed. When all was made ready, Anduani breathed life into the last of his works, the races of elves, dwarves and men.

Yet while the Ilad were fashioned as guardians of Andunai’s works, some grew perverse. Elucien, the crown of Andunai’s creation, chose to delight in the beauty of his own image alone, rather than to rejoice in the source from whence his beauty arose. Thus was the mighty Ilad led to rebellion. Elucien moreover stole many of the hearts of the angelic host, causing them to join in his mutiny. An angelic war was waged upon the heavenly Plane of Ivestriel. Elucien was defeated. Yet even as he and his host were expelled from the heavenly Plane, Elucien swore an oath of vengeance upon his former Lord. If he could not sit upon the throne in the heavenly halls of Hethidador, then he would reign within the hearts of Andunai’s creatures. So it was that the fallen Angel began to deceive the creatures of Eriond, turning their hearts away from Andunai. By three falsehoods did Elucien lead them to ruin: first that all were destined for godhood; second, that Andunai sought to keep them from it; third, that Elucien possessed the key to defeating the tyrant. Not all were won over, but the curse of death fell upon all creatures dwelling upon Eriond nevertheless during the Kinslayer Wars and the Sundering of the world that occurred thereafter.

Elucien and his host were imprisoned within the Halls of Soraddadun (in the abysmal Plane of Avaskar) during the Sundering, yet not before fulfilling his vow of vengeance. For Elucien’s legacy of rebellion and ruin continues within the Cult of Thyrn, the most tangible sign of his reign over Andunai’s creatures. However the Tilindriad prophecies of a coming age in which the world will once more be set right. In that age a light shall shine forth from the halls of Hethidador that shall pierce the present darkness. Then shall the eyes of Eriond’s creatures be opened and they shall come to know their true Lord once more. In that day the reign of Elucien shall come to an end, and with it, the curse of death that haunts every mortal soul. It is for the sake of this hope that the Magisterium labors.